I have an inexpensive and easy  solution that I plan to try over the holidays..

Will post again when done.

Unfortunately. the keybed spacing was not symmetrical, so F-B had big gaps and C-E was tight.

Oh well!

The C-30 is out of price range anyway, but I think it's a different action (they describe it as a "click" action) and I suspect it's modeled on real harpsichord actions which won't give the kind of control I'd want for piano-like music.  Interesting, as I didn't know of it.  The C-30 manual was interesting reading and it does seem to be a proper MIDI keyboard.  I wonder if Pianoteq's own harpsichords have ever been played with it.

The Dexibell S1 seems to match the profile of the bass structure of a traditional 88-key model, which is interesting.  The width is the same as the SL73 (or very close) and if it's a choice I'd prefer the 73 keys to the 68 keys (although how much difference does 5 keys make really ?).  And as I used Pianoteq the sound from the S1 is irrelevant (to me).

The idea of hacking an existing 61 key keyboard is alarmingly appealing !  Can't quite shake this idea.  I suspect a soldering iron would turn out to be needed (not my thing) but I'm intrigued.  Very likely to have a careful look inside my existing keyboard (but probably not brave enough to do it !).

Thanks for the input guys.  Plenty of think about.

Many people do something similar (for totally different reasons). No soldering necessary. For example:

http://www.balanced-keyboard.com/BuildOne.aspx

http://plover.stenoknight.com/2018/06/m...steno.html

We should be able to modify an old 61-key m-audio keystation by removing and reinstalling / shifting the keys to start at F. The last key on the right should be the same C-style as there is not a last black key. There are plenty of videos and posts about repairing the keybed that show how to do this. Minimal tools required and the keystation has a semitone scale transpose function.

Will post again when done.

The C-30 manual was interesting reading and it does seem to be a proper MIDI keyboard.  I wonder if Pianoteq's own harpsichords have ever been played with it.

This is that point, I'm highly interrested in! I definitely plan to order the keybed of the Roland C-30 as a spare-part from Roland company. I even know the price already, this part costs (in Germany) 902,-- Euros plus shipping. OK, this is really expensive for just a 61's keybed, which needs at first to be setted up to a proper MIDI keyboard. But my reason to order it, is simpy: it's worldwide the only one electronic keybed with that typical click-action of a harpsichod and furthermore the only one with the harpsichord's f-scale. So it's an absolute must-have for playing all the beautiful sampled or modelled harpsichords of today with the feel and the keybed-scale of a real harpsichord, spinet or clavichord. After recieving this part it will need to be soldered with the electronics board of a conventional C-scale MIDI-keyboard and then transposed in half-tones from C to F. Such a MIDI-keyboard costs 100 Euros, so it costs 1.000 Euros together. But, as I said, it's really the only way to avoid to buy a complete Roland C-30 for 3.700 Euros just for playing virtual harpsichords on a perfect harpsichord-keyboard.

The idea of hacking an existing 61 key keyboard is alarmingly appealing !  Can't quite shake this idea.  I suspect a soldering iron would turn out to be needed (not my thing) but I'm intrigued.  Very likely to have a careful look inside my existing keyboard (but probably not brave enough to do it !).

This has been done at least with a MIDI Basspedal:
The electronics are available from Doepfer and they recommend to take two 13-keys bass pedals from Fatar,
remove the superfluos double "C"-key between them by simply cutting into the unit,
then soldering together again the connections that have been separated by cutting.
So then you have a 25-key bass pedal! See the webpage here:
http://www.doepfer.de/MBP25.htm
and the manual with the handicrafts instructions (from page 13 on):
http://www.doepfer.de/pdf/MBP25_Manual.pdf
Very interesting... and amazing that it really works this way!

The Dexibell S1 seems to match the profile of the bass structure of a traditional 88-key model, which is interesting.  The width is the same as the SL73 (or very close) and if it's a choice I'd prefer the 73 keys to the 68 keys (although how much difference does 5 keys make really ?).  And as I used Pianoteq the sound from the S1 is irrelevant (to me).

The idea of hacking an existing 61 key keyboard is alarmingly appealing !  Can't quite shake this idea.  I suspect a soldering iron would turn out to be needed (not my thing) but I'm intrigued.  Very likely to have a careful look inside my existing keyboard (but probably not brave enough to do it !).

Thanks for the input guys.  Plenty of think about.

steve200

Does anyone have any knowledge of a 61 key controller starting at F ?

If you find a suitable Keyboard which you can (non-destructively) take apart, maybe you could re-build it with an "F" key at the bottom, put everything back in order, and use the un-cut top "C" key as an un-cut top "F" key.  The shapes of all the keys would be the same, and everything ought to fit just fine.  Then all you have to do is re-define (or shift) your MIDI-output so the lowest key plays an "F" (in the desired octave, normally that would be the "F" below low-C) instead of the default "C".

Good luck!  And if it works... be sure to let us know. (This could be a First!)

Maybe the S1 will fit in your space and you could get by with the octave shift?

61 Keys "F-scale"
However, not exactly a pure MIDI Keyboard,
more a digital harpsichord at a higher price range

Or for that matter do any of the better musically educated of you think the idea of a 61 key keyboard starting at F is no better or worse than one starting at C ?

I was considering an SL73 as a possible alternative (it's a fraction larger than I'd like, but maybe OK).  That does start at F.  Any comments on that model (noting I'm not a serious pianist and never expect to even play a real acoustic).  I'd like the extra keys and an 88 or 76 key model is not likely to fit.  76 key models do seem to start at F normally.